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ShareNew Delhi: As the assembly election nears, politics in Jharkhand is once again taking complex twists and turns with friends turning foes and allies, rivals.
Congress has aligned with the Babulal Marandi-led JVM dumping its old ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Lalu Prasad's RJD, which are still supporting the UPA government at the Centre.
The strain in the JMM-Congress relationship was more than visible when JMM chief Shibu Soren yesterday described Congress as a party of "betrayers and opportunists" while addressing a rally in Palamu.
Sources in JMM say that the party has taken very serious note of Congress dumping it on the eve of the polls, and will not be averse to other permutations and combinations after the assembly election results are out in Jharkhand.
"We had supported the UPA government during the Trust Vote, when it was about to fall. We were later betrayed and not given the promised ministerial berths at the Centre. Now we have also been kept out of the alliance. Moreover, Congress has inducted our known foes into their fold," said a senior JMM leader on the condition of anonymity.
Congress inducted Stephen Marandi into its fold a few months back. Marandi, who has served as deputy chief minister in two governments in Jharkhand, has been a friend-turned-foe of Soren and hails from the same Santhal Paragana region, which is the JMM's stronghold.
The old UPA in Jharkhand has virtually fallen into pieces with Congress, JMM and RJD contesting separately. While Congress refused to enter into alliance either with JMM or RJD, the JMM too did not show any inclination for a tie-up with RJD.
The party has already announced that it would contest alone in all 81 constituencies in the state. Sources said the JMM chief had earlier held discussions with LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan regarding a tie-up.
However, talks could not proceed as Paswan insisted on keeping RJD into any such alliance, which was not acceptable to Soren. The JMM chief was reportedly annoyed with Prasad for his alleged opposition to his bid for chief ministership last year.
RJD has already entered into an alliance with LJP and Left parties into the state. Samajwadi Party, which is also supporting UPA at the Centre, has also announced that it will contest 40 seats in the state, where it has a very minuscule presence.
SP state unit chief Banna Lal Gupta, however, left the party and joined Congress a few days back. He has now been fielded by Congress from his old seat of Jamshedpur West.
